SINGAPORE: Unable to convince its distributor to grant it a 24-hour
channel, financial news service Bloomberg TV will take its newscast
outdoors, using giant digital screens on the side of Singapore office
buildings.
The channel also expects to begin broadcasting its service on 42-inch
plasma screens, mostly at bank buildings and other financial
institutions.
The move outdoors was prompted after Bloomberg failed to convince its
local cable distributor, Singapore Cable Vision (SCV), to grant it a
24-hour channel, which rival operators such as CNBC, CNN and BBC
have.
Bloomberg Asia-Pacific marketing director James Ross said the outdoor
newscast would work because - unlike its competitors -Bloomberg ran text
messages at the bottom of the screen for news headlines and market
results.
This allowed it to drop the audio part of newscasts.
Ross said Bloomberg already had giant digital screens in Tokyo and Hong
Kong. He expected the initiative would allow Bloomberg to increase its
exposure and attract more customers.
However, outdoor companies in Singapore were sceptical that Bloomberg
would generate a strong response.
Peter Kemeny, managing director of Capital City Posters, said outdoor
digital screens succeeded in only a few key locations around the world,
such as Times Square in New York. He said the medium failed to capture
the attention of passers-by in other locations. While the audio element
was irritating, he said the medium would have no impact without it.
Ashley Stewart, managing director of JC Decaux, said it cost millions
for a digital screen, which then had to be replaced about every two
years.
